Hurricane Joyce (2000)
Hurricane Joyce was the tenth named storm and sixth hurricane of the 2000 Atlantic hurricane season. Joyce formed well east of the Windward Islands on September 25. Joyce moved west, southwest, and then westward before dissipating on October 2. Joyce peaked as a 90 mph Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, and it had a pressure of 975 mb at its peak. Joyce caused no damage and no fatalities. Joyce as a hurricane https://archive.is/20131014012101/img406.imageshack.us/img406/2621/hurricanejoycers3.png Formation September 25, 2000 Dissipation October 2, 2000 Highest winds 90 mph Lowest pressure 975 mbar Deaths None Damages None Areas affected None Meteorological History https://archive.is/20131014012006/img20.imageshack.us/img20/7793/joycetrackay8.png A poorly organized tropical wave moved off the coast of Africa on September 22. On September 25, the wave showed signs of a closed surface circulation while located about 350 miles southwest of the Cape Verde Islands. At 1200 UTC on September 25, it is estimated that Tropical Depression Fourteen developed from this wave. After forming, the depression moved westward, and convection became better organized over the depression. In addition, banding features became better-defined, and it is estimated the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Joyce on September 26, while located well east of the Windward Islands. However, there is considerable uncertainty in whether or not Joyce was even a tropical storm at that point, since QuikSCAT showed an open wave. Joyce continued to strengthen while moving west, and it is estimated that it reached its peak intensity of 90 mph on September 28, while located midway between Africa and the Lesser Antilles. This intensity was reached soon after a pinhole eye feature on a TRMM pass. This feature was short-lived. Later on September 28, visible satellite imagery showed the center of Joyce partially exposed to the southwest of the deep convection, which indicated that Joyce was being sheared by vertical wind shear. With occasional bursts of convection, Joyce's cloud pattern gradually deteriorated, and Joyce weakened to a tropical storm on September 29. It continued westward, moving across the Windward Islands and into the eastern Carribean Sea on October 1. Joyce weakened to a tropical depression during this time. On October 2, Joyce quickly and somewhat unexpectedly degenerated into a tropical wave while located in the southeastern Carribean Sea just north of Venezeula. Data from NOAA aircraft GPS dropsondes on the 30th and satellite imagery suggest that a mechanism responsible for the above weakening was the entrainment of lower-tropospheric dry Saharan air into Joyce's circulation. Impact Joyce's only impact was in the Windward Islands. In Barbados, Joyce produced sustained winds of 35 mph with gusts as high as 45 mph as Joyce's center of circulation passed about 120 miles south of the island. Joyce's center later came close to Tobago, where the winds shifted from a north-northwesterly direction to a south direction, and then to an east direction over a 24-hour period. Joyce produced winds of around 30 mph in Tobago. Joyce caused no damage and no deaths. Lack of Retirement Because there was no damage, the name Joyce was not retired in the Spring of 2001 by the World Meteorological Organization. It was not used during the 2006 Atlantic hurricane season, and thus is on the list of names to be used for the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season. See Also 2000 Atlantic hurricane season * NHC Joyce report References http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000_Atlantic_hurricane_season http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/2000joyce.html